Bedstead with slats of different stiffness

ABSTRACT

A bedstead with a reclining head-rest has a pair of longitudinal side members provided with spaced apart lateral pivots carrying swingable slat supports which are disposed opposite one another in pairs along the inner faces of the longitudinal members. Each pair of supports is provided with at least two angularly spaced slats of different stiffness so that either slat may be rotated into an operative position forming the support for the torso of the user.

0 Elmted States Patent 1 91 1111 3,813,713 Kipfer June 4, 1974 [5BEDSTEAD WITH SLATS OF DIFFERENT 2,349,839 5/1944 Apicella 5/237STIFFNESS 3,176,323 4/1965 Degen.... 3,663,055 5/1972 Gale Inventor:Fritz p e st 1 8038 3,667,803 6/1972 Ford 297/2213 Zurich, Switzerland[22] Filed: Mal. 27 1972 Primary ExaminerFrancis K. Zugel AssistantExaminer-D. Marquette 1 1 pp NOJ 238,210 Attorney, Agent, or FirmKarl F.Ross; Herbert Dubno [30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 18, 1971Switzerland 7263/71 [57] ABSTRACT A bedstead with a reclining head-resthas a pair of lon- [52] U.S. Cl 5/238, 5/191, 5/D1G. 2, gitudinal sidemembers provided with spaced apart lat- 297/283 eral pivots carryingswingable slat supports which are [51 Int. Cl. A47c 23/06 disposedopposite one another in pairs along the inner [58] Field of Search5/238, DIG. 2, 26 R, 26 B, faces of the longitudinal members. Each pairof sup- 5/237, 236, 191; 297/283 ports is provided with at least twoangularly spaced slats of different stiffness so that either slat may bero- [56] References Cited tated into an operative position forming thesupport UNITED STATES PATENTS for the torso 0f the user.

174,062 2/1876 Carter 5/237 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BEDSTEAD WITHSLATS OF DIFFERENT STIFFNESS This invention relates to a bedstead withreclining head-rest, having elastically flexible transverse slatssupported at their ends on bearing fasteners which are arranged inpairs. The fasteners are mounted for rotation about a common transverseaxis which is fixed with respect to the longitudinal frame members.

The bedstead according to the invention differs from prior systems inthat each of the pairs of bearing fasteners carries at least twotransverse slats arranged in different planes but on the same turningcircle, whereby one or the other may be brought into the effectiveplane, the different transverse slats carried in each pair of bearingfasteners differing in their elastic bending resistance.

The invention allows the body-supporting surface to be harder or softerthroughout or only in certain zones as desired, by turning individualbearing fasteners and bringing stiffer or softer slats into the surfaceto lie on, thus adapting same to the anatomical or therapeuticalrequirements of the occupant.

The accompanying drawing shows by way of example an embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawing:

FIG. I shows a diagrammatic view of the beadstead;

FIG. 2 represents a vertical section of six pairs of transverse slatswith their bearing fasteners;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top view of the bedstead,

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken along the line IVIV of FIG. 2; and

FIG. is a detail view of a portion of the system of FIG. 2 wherein themeans for locking the fastener can be seen more readily.

In the form shown, the reference characters la and 2a respectivelydesignate the longitudinal side members of the basic frame 1 and thehead-rest 2 of the bedstead. On the insides of the longitudinal sidemembers la, bearing fasteners 3 are rotatable on horizontal pivot pins 4and are oppositely disposed in pairs. On either side of the pivot pins 4the bearing fasteners 3 are provided with recesses 5 open inwardly, intowhich the top and bottom slats 6 and 7 are inserted. As apparent fromFIG. 2, the transverse slats 6 are wider than the slats 7.

Assuming that both sets of slats are made of the same material, thewider slats 6 will be stiffer and will feel harder when exposed to theweight of the occupant. Different stiffness may be obtained in the slats6 and 7 in other ways, however, for example by adopting different slatthicknesses or employing different materials.

By turning the bearing fastener pairs 3 about their horizontal axes 4,the softer or harder slats can be brought into or out of the restingplane at the desired points as required. Locking devices, such asserrations, spring catches or the like can be conveniently fitted sothat the bearing fasteners engage in the different positions for use.

For example, FIG. 5 shows that each fastener 3 is provided with internalserrations 4a which lock with the serrations 4b of the pivot 4 toprevent angular displacement inadvertently once the appropriate slat 6has been positioned to form a supporting surface for the bedstead. Ofcourse, by simply drawing the fastener 3 off the locking portion of thepivot, the fastener may be rotated to position the other slat in thesupporting plane.

In the form illustrated, each pair or bearing fasteners carries twotransverse slats of differing elastic bending resistance. Alternativelyit is of course possible to have the bearing fastener pairs fitted withthree or more transverse slats, each of different stiffness.

What I claim is: 1

l. A bedstead comprising a support, a pair of longitudinally extendingframe members mounted on said support, respective pairs of pivotsprojecting inwardly from said frame members at corresponding locationstherealong, respective fasteners mounted on said pivots and angularlydisplaceable relatively thereto about respective horizontal axes of eachpair of pivots, and at least two slats spanning the fasteners of eachpair of pivots and fixed thereto in angularly spaced relation wherein aselected slat bridging each pair of fasteners may be disposed at asupporting surface of the bedstead, the two slats of each pair of pivotsand fasteners being of different stiffness.

2. The bedstead defined in claim 1 further comprising means for lockingsaid fasteners against angular displacement with the selected slat in aposition forming a supporting surface of the bedstead.

1. A bedstead comprising a support, a pair of longitudinally extendingframe members mounted on said support, respective pairs of pivotsprojecting inwardly from said frame members at corresponding locationstherealong, respective fasteners mounted on said pivots and angularlydisplaceable relatively thereto about respective horizontal axes of eachpair of pivots, and at least two slats spanning the fasteners of eachpair of pivots and fixed thereto in angularly spaced relation wherein aselected slat bridging each pair of fasteners may be disposed at asupporting surface of the bedstead, the two slats of each pair of pivotsand fasteners being of different stiffness.
 2. The bedstead defined inclaim 1 further comprising means for locking said fasteners againstangular displacement with the selected slat in a position forming asupporting surface of the bedstead.